Article holder and container



July 26, 1949. LJTRECEK ARTICLE HOLDER AND CONTAINER Filed March 29, 1944 Z azzz Patented July 26, 1949 'T? *t- Celon Company, Madison,

of Wisconsin Wi's., eor raeen Application March29, 1944, Serial M52855? invention relates to an articleholderand container of the type disclosed and claimed in appllcants (ac-pending application Serial 'Num-' ber 477,545, filed March 1,1943, now known-as Pfater'it'2j41'9fl45,patented April 29, 1947 andassignedtothe present a'ssig'nee'. I I

important objector the present invention 'is-toe-provi'de an attractive merchandising package comprising a container for an article, such as atoothbrush, and the like, wherein aholder for securing the article in the container may 'be usedffor holding and supporting the article after it'has'beenremoved from thecontainer for daily use; the package for merchandising purposes comprising the holder for supporting the article, and a thin tubular film of regenerated cellulose 'encasing the article andfholden-sand maintaining the article in fixed relation with respect to the holder by the shrinkable characteristics -.of the material-from which the tubular encasing member is made.

Another important object of theinvention is to provide :an attractive package comprising-tan article .andarticle support encased in aatranspa ,ent-or partially transparent wrapper the-iarticle support beingadapted as a holder for 'therarticle after the article and holder -arerremoved from the enclosing wrapper, the wrapper rpeing .s'hr-unkover the article and: holder to hold-the artic le .in juxtaposition with respect to theholder Jay the shrinkable characteristics of 1 the material "from whiohthe encasing wrapper is-made.

Another object of the invention the -pro vision of A a new ;.and improved: package comprising an article holder 'having relatively resilient ends, ..for holding clampingly 1 the article;

' A stillfurther object *of the invention-is th'e ,provisionof atpackage-including a new andnovel iar-tic-leholder which is constructed from a: single .piece a of -material, 'suchw-as metal or zplastic certam-parts of'thepiece'beingi-lcent onstruck up so asto -provide a support for the article while .in package form to prevent damage itozth'erarticle by :the shrinkable wrapper as "well as aproviding a support or holder forthe-article.whentinrdaily use after removal from the package.

:Numerous other'obj'ectsiiarrd advantages' willlhe apparent :throughout the progress not the *following-:specifications. 1

The'eaoeompanying -:-clrawings illustrate a certain? seleetedx embodiment cof z-the". inventi .a vthe viewstl'ierein are asfo'll-ows:

-.Fig-. -1 is aaperspective viewtof the article; holder,

. Fige2 J's-a detailzrperspeetivewiewao axtubekof 7 Clairns. (Cl. aceam 7 2 shriiikalile material whio'hj-coinprises'the 'encas'ing a Fig. .3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of y the article holder securing the "article, with a tube Jot cellulosic' material encasing the holder and meme, 7 l l I illfig. 4 is an end view of the" holder, Fig; 5 is a detail sectionarview onthe 'line' :55 lorries, j I Fig. 6 is, a detail sectional View, ot the improved package, the encasing tube being in its dehydrated, shrunk form "and a providing "an airtight and gerni-proof package, the 'encasing wrapper "also holding the article .tightly against .the holder; f

'.Fig. '7 is aview of an end'of-the'packageshown inFig. Sand showing the encasi I tubular-mem- 'ber' shrnnk over an end ofthe holder, and p "flgi's a .detail sectional View on"-the' line 8; 'ofFig. 6. I

The particular package herein shown for the purpose' ofilliistratingfthe invention comprises a holder I :for supporting "an article 2,-such as a toothbrush, and" :a tubular encasing niember 3 which ismade froin atthin film ofshrinkablenna- "terial' snohas' regeneratedcellulose. I

The holder I Fig. '1 is preferably made from a single piece of material which can be struck or molded, and which has resilient characteristics such'iajsaldminnmpr'other metal or plastic. The holder has anelongated body "portion 4; Fig. l, with preferably integral upturned ends 5 and ii. The ends 5 and 6 are preferably resilientv so-th-at they will give orspring out-a sufliceim; distance tdpermit the a rticleyz "to be inserted therebetweenanfithen spring back to yieldingly clamp the article "as-"shown in Figsl 3 and 6. These end pieces 5 and Bare-prQVi'ded-With protuberance's 1 'having-recesses-8 to receive the ends of the toothbrush? ana -keep the bristles 9 on the brush Z -irom'contacting" the" bodyof the holder to pre- "vent the bristles 'from-being cru'shed when the easing: shrinks. I 'Parts IOand 'I lfintegral' with the body I, provide' s'upportsfor the-toothbrush handle I'Z'inte'r- :mediate the ends of thearticle. The supports 'l fl a'nd l l -"are' struck out from the body I when "the body ismade-ofmetal; or they may beformed as a part of a molding operation should bebody remade of-sorne'moldable materialgsuch plas- -ti'c. 'Th'einv'eiition contemplates r igi-df supports lfl anii l l regardless ofi howthe'y'are formed and ":whther theyare integral or formed as separate tpa'i tsi' The body I is also provided with s'pa'ce'd -55 openings !3to=lihten the body-andto form winis adaptable for use as a permanent holder for;

the toothbrush. The circular opening I5 permits the body to be slipped over the head of a hanger element, such as a nail or screw, and then slid downwardly until the body of the hanger will be in the slotted part It, whereupon the body will be supported between the headof the hanger and a backing element, such as a wall.

The casing or enclosing envelope 3 comprises, preferably, a tube of thin transparent material which has shrinkable characteristics such as regenerated cellulose which has been found to be particularly adaptablefor the purpose. A tube of hydrated regenerated cellulose'in the form of a tube, Fig. 2, is slipped over the holder and article as shown in Fig. 3, the tube being longer than the holder to provideextending ends I! and I8, which will seal down over the ends of 5 and 6 of the holder. The tube,when dehydrated, will shrink tightly about the holder and article as shown in Fig. 6 and hold the article in locked position against the holder. The shrinking also causes the projecting ends "and i8 to seal over the ends 5 andG as indicated at l9, Figs.'6 and 7.

It is desirable that the tube of film material 3 be clear and transparent to permit inspection of the articlewhen packaged, however, it is also desirable that the package contain printed matter such as the manufacturers name, a trademark, or other matter or indicia. While the printing matter may be done on clear cellulose, it has been found desirable to form the tube with an opaque part in the form of a stripe to receive the printed matter or indicia. The opaque part 20 may be on one side only, or it may be on more than one side, also the stripes may be any color. desired, or the entire tube 3 may be opaque and of stripes of contrasting colors.

In assembling the packaga'the toothbrush 2 is inserted in the holder I byinserting the toothbrush ends under the extensions 5 and 6 with the handle l2 lying on the supports l0 and H. .The tube 3 is then placed over the holder with the ends H and it of thetube extending beyond the inating the article. The holder prevents the brush bristles from becoming crushed by the enclosing tube when shrunk, as well as providing a permanent hanger or support ,for the brushqduring daily use.

Changes may be made in the formpconstruction and arrangement ofthe parts without departing from the spirit of the invention; or sacrificing any of its advantages, and-the right is .hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A new article of manufacture comprising an article holder having an elongated body, resilient end extensions on the body to hold clampingly an article having a fragile part, a tube of shrinkable material receiving said holder and article and squeezing the article against the supports when the tube has shrunk, and means on the body and spacing the fragile part of the article from a part of the body to prevent damage of the I fragile part during shrinking of the tube.

2. A new article of manufacture comprising an article holder having an elongated body, resilient end extensions on the body to hold clampingly an article having a fragile part, supports formed integral with the body intermediate the ends thereof to support the article between its ends and to space the fragile part from the body, and

a tube of shrinkable material receiving said holder and article and squeezing the article against the supports when the tube has shrunk without contacting the fragile part and thereby prevent damage to the fragile part by the shrinking of the tube.

, 3. A new article of manufacture comprising an article holder having an elongated body, resilient end extensions on the body to hold clampingly an article having a crushable part, supports formed integral with the body intermediate the ends thereof to support the article between its ends and to space the fragile part from the body, and a tube of shrinkable material receiving said holder and a part of the article excluding the crushable part and squeezing the article against the, supports when the tube has shrunk without contacting the crushable part so as to prevent damage to the crushable part by the shrinking of the tube, said tube being longer than the holder to provide extending ends thereon, said extending ends extending over the said end extensions and completely sealing the article when said tube has shrunk.

4. An airtight, germ-proof package for a toothbrush or other like article comprising a toothbrush holder having'an elongated body portion, integral upstanding relatively resilient ends at the ends of the body, a toothbrush received removably and clampingly between said resilient ends, integral upstanding supports on the body between the ends and supporting the brush intermediate its ends, and a tube of regenerated cellulose over the holder and brush and sealed over the exterior edges of the ends and extending over the outer surfaces of the ends.

5. An airtight, germ-proof package for a toothbrush or other like article comprising a toothbrush holder having an elongated body portion, integral upstanding relatively resilient ends at the ends of the body, a toothbrush received removablyand clampingly between said resilient ends, integral upstanding supports struck up from the body to support the toothbrush intermediate its ends, said struck up portions providing openings in the body to permit the toothbrush to be seen therethrough, said body also being provided with an opening to permit the holder to be hung up as a permanent support when the holder and brush are removed from the package, and a thin film of transparent regenerated cellulose shrunk over the body and brush and extending over the outersurfaces of said end pieces.

6. :An airtight, germ-proof package for a toothbrush or other like article comprising a toothbrush holder having an elongated body portion, integral upstanding relatively resilient ends at the ends of the body, a toothbrush received removably and clampingly between said resilient ends, integral upstanding supports struck up from the body to support the toothbrush intermediate its ends, said struck up portions providing openings in the body to permit the toothbrush to be seen therethrough, said body also being provided with an opening to permit the holder to be hung up as a permanent support when the holder and brush are removed from the package, and a thin film of transparent regenerated cellulose shrunk over the body and brush and extending over the outer surfaces of said end pieces, said film having an opaque portion to receive printing matter thereon.

7. A new article of manufacture comprising an article holder having an elongated body, resilient end extensions on the body to hold clampingly an article having a fragile part, a tube of shrinkable material receiving said holder and article and squeezing the article against the supports when the tube has shrunk, and means on the body and spacing the fragile part of the article from a part 6 of the body to prevent damage of the fragile part during shrinking of the tube, and whereby after the tube of material is removed from the body, the body provides a holder to support a toothbrush. LOUIS TRECEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

